1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing the ultra-fine particles of metals, ceramics etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a method of manufacturing ultra-fine particles, what is called the hydrogen arc heating method has heretofore been known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,134. When compared with other methods, this method is higher in the formation rate of the ultra-fine particles and may be smaller in the scale of a manufacturing apparatus, so that it can produce the ultra-fine particles economically. The hydrogen arc heating method, however, needs to perform heating and melting on a water-cooled crucible or water-cooled hearth and indispensably requires a large amount of cooling water in order to heat and melt the surface of a material over the largest possible area and perform hydrogen absorbing and emitting reactions owing to the energy of arcs. Therefore, the energy of the hydrogen arcs being a heating source is deprived of a greater part by the cooling water, resulting in a low thermal efficiency, and it has been difficult to economically produce the ultra-fine particles. Moreover, with the hydrogen arc heating method, the material in a small amount is heated and melted, so that a continuous operation has been difficult because when this material has entirely become the ultra-fine particles, the manufacturing apparatus must be shut down to supply the material anew.